Traditional video delivery involves simultaneously broadcasting video content signals to multiple user devices, such as televisions, set-top boxes, personal computers, laptops, workstations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless devices, network-ready appliances, file servers, print servers or other devices. Broadcasting stations may transmit the video content signals via satellite signals to local stations or cable distributors. The video content signals then travel over cable television lines, satellite distribution systems, or the airwaves to the user device. Each user selects one of the available channels to view a program at the time of broadcasting.
Recently, video delivery has moved from simultaneous broadcasting to interactive video delivery systems, such as Video-on-Demand (VoD). Interactive systems offer a wider selection of programs that are available at any time. In this way, users may select the time and program rather than depending upon the program times of the broadcasting stations.
A typical VoD service provider utilizes one or more video servers capable of storing terabytes of video content. The video servers deliver video content via data connections, such as DSL or cable, to multiple subscriber networks. For example, a user or subscriber device requests video content through one of the subscriber networks, which in turn communicates the request to the video server via a private or public network, e.g., the Internet. The VoD service provider sends the requested video content to the subscriber network, which forwards the video content to the requesting subscriber device. In order to deliver the program, the VoD service requires sufficient guaranteed bandwidth from the server through to the subscriber.
In an attempt to address the resource demands of delivering video content, a compression protocol may be used to reduce the size of large video files prior to transmitting the video files across a network. For example, the compression protocol may comprise the Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) compression protocol. However, compressed MPEG video content may still require a great deal of bandwidth when transmitted over a private or public network, such as the Internet.